How will the new drivers perform? What about the new cars? And is there any stopping Sebastian Vettel?

Here, we suggest what you should be keeping an eye on in Melbourne this weekend.

1) Sebastian Vettel losing

After winning the last nine races on the trot in 2013 and 13 of 19 in all it will be an absolute joy to see anything but a Red Bull triumph in 2014.

After all it has been around eight months since anything but the German's silly single digit has been waved.

Many questions remain about Vettel despite his success and battling from mid-field to win a race would surely do much more for his reputation than repetitiously winning in a winning car.

2) Entertainment

Formula 1 has been pretty poor fare for large swathes of the last four years and, particularly last year, not worth the price of admission. With the radical rule changes that should all change - and soon.

3) Commentators trying to work out what is going on

A raft of the most radical rule changes in living memory - and perhaps the sport's history - is going to leave commentators grappling to explain what is going on.

Is the car slowing because the ERS has failed ? The engine has gone ? Fuel is low ? The strategy demands it or the driver has dropped his phone in the footwell ? Murrayisms should abound.

4) Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at each other's throats

(Photo: Andrew Hone)

Hamilton and Rosberg kept a lid on their rivalry last season because they were rarely in the hunt for anything significant at the same time.

6) Thrilling racing

With 10 times the boost power almost instantly available on tap F1 cars are once again going to become a real handful even for drivers as talented as these. Harder tyres, less grip and less down-force will all contribute to F1 cars becoming the vicious beasts they once were.

7) Strategic racing

With drivers now starting on one third less fuel than last year they have to use their hybrid power sources to help get them to the finish. So it is unlikely to be the fastest car that wins but the most consistent and the smartest.

(Photo: Reuters)

8) Smoke

Engine failures and car break downs have become rarer than a swear word from good two-shoes Sebastian Vettel. Not any more. Some cars won't make the start of a race let alone the finish.

So much has been packed under every bonnet every car is likely to break down multiple times this year. One engineering expert reckons NO cars will reach the finish in Melbourne! Mein Got! Remember the dramas of Silverstone ? Well, tyre failures are about the only thing we are unlikely to see.

9) Overtaking

The KERS boost button has gone but there is 10 times the boost power continually available under the driver's right boot and with 20 per cent reduced down-force there should be some entertaining ambitious overtaking attempts and interesting driver duels.

10) Power battle

As well as the on-track shenanigans Bernie Ecclestone's looming trial in Germany is likely to encompass everyone of significance in F1 eventually. Will the grandmaster survive? Won't he? And if he doesn't what will happen to F1 ?

(Photo: Getty)

11) Fines

F1 has a new totting up penalty system as is used for road drivers. Amass 12 points and out comes the red card for an automatic one race ban. Some people doubt it will ever come to that but new rules, unreliable cars, severe pressure and frayed tempers are hardly the best ingredients if you want a quiet time.

12) Final race showdown

After a year of shenanigans the chances are that the new double points rule for Abu Dhabi will mean it all comes down to a last round shootout.

13) Team orders

If the Mercedes cars are as dominant as pre-season testing suggests the Mercs could walk away with the championship.

So team orders may have to be used to rein in Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg and prevent them plunging into a venomous rivalry that will cost them both the title as it did for the McLaren pairing in 2007. And fans will have to decide whether they like the race being decided on the pit wall long before the flag.